Shoot for the Cure wraps up at final Wolves women’s basketball game of the year
The Algonquin Wolves’ final basketball games of the year, played against the Seneca Sting on Nov. 28, concluded the semester-long Shoot for the Cure initiative aimed at raising money for breast cancer research.
It was the third year for the fundraiser. The women’s basketball team competed with the Wolves women’s volleyball team to see who could raise the most money.
While the Wolves fell in a narrow defeat to the Sting, by the end of the night both women’s basketball and volleyball teams were fundraising winners, having collectively brought in close to $6,000.
“Overall, as a varsity program, we’re doing some awesome things,” said Jaime McLean, head coach of the women’s basketball team. In support of the cause, he was donning a pink Algonquin Wolves shirt along with bright pink pants.
He believes that being involved in varsity sports means being a leader beyond the court.
“Part of that is showing a sense of community and involvement, trying to help other people,” McLean said.
The fundraiser began three years ago when the mother of a former player was diagnosed with breast cancer and the team wanted to show their support. Since then, it has become an annual tradition.
“It became a thing where all of our team bonded together for her and it’s just become something really special that started here,” said McLean.
“We started with just Shoot for the Cure with basketball. Then volleyball, being as awesome as they are, jumped in with the Serve for the Cure, which has put us in a really cool spot: varsity stepping up together, doing something bigger than just sport.”
Leah and Anna Hirst, twin sisters who play on the Wolves basketball team, believe it’s important that the Wolves undertake these kinds of initiatives, given their large public audience.
“Especially as a women’s team, it’s important for us to represent women,” said Leah Hirst.
The Hirsts have a family friend who has breast cancer.
“We’re also in school for nursing. We’re in health care, so we see breast cancer, all kinds of cancer,” said Anna Hirst.
“Cancer in our family has been really huge, so it’s just nice to advocate for any cancer,” said Leah Hirst.
In a final push to bring in fundraising dollars, McLean and his team upped the ante by promising that McLean would get a certain haircut associated with a fundraising box that received the most money. The “Mohawk” box received the most funds so at the end of the night, McLean was off to get his new haircut.
Given the success of women’s team fundraising, McLean says he would really like to see the men’s basketball team step up more next year to help beat the volleyball teams in fundraising.
“The men’s volleyball did a Movember thing, so I think next year we’ll start planning it out and maybe try to encourage the men to get involved with their cause and we can support them on theirs,” said McLean.
The Hirsts would like to see the team do a three-on-three, pay-to-play basketball tournament for the fundraiser next year to try to get more participation, funds and awareness.
“Something a little more interactive with the community as well, just to give back to the people who are giving to us, you know, something fun for them to do, something a little less specific to Jaime getting a haircut,” said Leah Hirst.
